Chris Johnson: Swearing at depth chart

(But not really)

In McTaggart's afternoon article we get a glimpse of Chris Johnson, bordering on despair.

Johnson, on advice from his father:
"He said, 'Everything's fine, don't worry about who they've got at third base, just worry about yourself and get your work done and be ready when they call your name,'" Johnson said. "That's my goal. I know what I can do, and when they give me that shot, I know that I'm going to be ready."

Ed Wade:
"We had an opportunity to add a run-producing third baseman and an outstanding player in Feliz, and we took advantage of it, and we still think Chris can be our third baseman of the future and can still make the club out of Spring Training. The message would be to put your best foot forward and see where it all leads. If it doesn't work out that way and he ends up going to Triple-A, he won't be the first guy who's had to wait his turn...

...Our hope is in the future we have a lot of guys knocking on the door, having to wait to get their opportunity here. We think Chris has a chance to be an outstanding big league player. Our feeling hasn't changed about him at all, but if you have a chance to go out and get a guy like Feliz, it makes sense to go ahead and do that and let the chips fall where they may."

That part, the "our hope is that we have a lot of guys having to wait" amuses me. He's right, but it's a funny way to put it.

Johnson, on what he's working on:
"I'm the kind of guy who wants to be aggressive. I want to get the big hit, and sometimes you're going to have to take your walks, and that's one of the things I'm trying to work on."

Johnson is absolutely right. He has a career 3.53 K:BB ratio, and that's going to have to come way down. He drew a walk every 19.9 plate appearances (83 walks in 1650 plate appearances). That's not a good ratio.

Wade:
If indeed he's back at Triple-A, that's why it's called player development. We're not foreclosing the possibility he ends up here. There is depth there at that position, but he needs to come out and compete and see where it leads."